Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Amanda Vasquez- Event Analysis

On September 17 I attended the reading of
Adam Johnson. He choose to read one of
his recent works that still did not have a title and this will be analyzed with
the readings assigned this week. The readings this week that related to Adam
Johnson’s work was “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins
Gilman, and “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth. Each of these
readings all taught me that no matter what the circumstances are you should
always be there for the one you love.

The “Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
relates to the reading by Adam Johnson because both husbands in the stories
just wanted the best for their wives. Although each of them showed affection in
a different way, they still wanted their wives to get healthy and happy. In the
reading by Adam Johnson, his wife Charlotte was paralyzed from the shoulders
down. The disease she had was paralysis and the doctors couldn’t do anything
about it. The only thing that calmed her nerves were smoking weed and listening
to nirvana. The speaker, which was her husband, was always there for her
whenever she needed him. He always preyed she would get better and he would do
anything for her. On the other hand the husband in “The Birthmark” wants his
wife to be beautiful and happy. He wants her to remove the birthmark she has
and even goes so far to make a potion to get rid of it. This teaches us readers
that appearances should not affect the feelings for another person. As long as
you love what’s on the inside a birthmark should not be a big deal to one another.

The “Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins
Gilman also relates back to the reading of Adam Johnson because it relates back
to relationships as well. Although the marriage between each story is
completely different they both teach you the same lesson. Which is to always be
there for one another no matter what. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” I did not agree
with the way the husband was treating his wife. It reminded me a little of “The
Whale Rider” by Witi Ihimaera because in the beginning Koro treated women as if
they were not equal and if they were useless to him. In “The Yellow Paper” the
husband treated his wife as if she were not human. The wife even says, “He is
very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction.” He
was so controlling over her that she didn’t have any freedom. He directed her
throughout the day and approved of everything. In Adam Johnsons reading the
husband was the complete opposite. I felt that he was at her becking call and
would do anything for her. He even agreed to have a baby with her even though
he didn’t fully want to have one with her illness.

The “I Wandered
Lonely as a Cloud” and the reading by Adam John both had memories that made
them happy. In “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” the speaker is in heaven and
remembers the time she saw a beautiful site of flowers and it puts a smile on
her face every time. The speaker said “In vacant or pensive mood/ They flash
upon that inward eye/ Which is the bliss of solitude/ And then in my heart with
pleasure fills/ And dances with the daffodils.” In the reading by Adam Johnson
the wife always listens to nirvana to calm her down. She even asked her husband
to put her headphones on when they were trying to have a baby. It sooths her
because she realizes her life will never be the same and that the doctors cant
do anything about her disease. Just the little things in life can brighten up
someone who is having a bad day and I truly believe in that.

Overall the
Reading by Adman Johnson taught me a lot about life and Jesuit education. It
made me realize how grateful I am for my health and that I shouldn’t take it
for granted. It also taught me that a Jesuit education is so valuable in life.
It showed me that we should always be there for another. Even the first couple
weeks that I have been at Loyola I have felt that it is such a close community
here and that everyone tries to help one another anyway they can. Each of these
readings also showed me that in a marriage you should always stick by one
others side through sickness and in health. When I was fifteen my dad was
diagnosed with lung cancer and it was the hardest thing my family has ever had
to go through. It was so difficult to see my dad in pain but we all went through
it together. During this time my mom was there for dad through everything even
though it was so hard to see him like that. She was there until the very end
and I will always admire her for that.